2014: A year of anniversaries

This year sees the centenary of the start of the First World War, Shakespeare’s 450th birthday, and the 70th anniversary of D-Day. But there are also significant anniversaries of a host of great composers, musicians and actors. Here are 30 dates in chronological order to put in your diary.

Modest Mussorgsky

The innovative Russian composer, one of the group known as ‘The Five’ was born 175 years ago on 21 March. He strove to achieve a uniquely Russian musical identity, inspired by history, folklore, and other nationalist themes.